


a dust track waiting for betrayal

by veridical



Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Character Study, Drama, Gen, The Transformers: Robots in Disguise (IDW)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-09 12:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6907735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/veridical/pseuds/veridical
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Any grief would be an oddity, considering that their deaths embody everything he wanted.</p><p>Spoilers through Dark Cybertron and the latest 15 or so issues of RID (Transformers).</p>
            </blockquote>





	a dust track waiting for betrayal

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written & posted on Tumblr, then slightly rewritten in Russian, and now it's here.

When he saw Bumblebee’s frame, he let out a vent of relief.

It was a blessing. A huge gaping hole in a fragile frame, completely grey by now - it was perfect.

It was not even his fault. Though, really, a small part of him wanted it to be his fault - wanted Bumblebee to become what Metalhawk had been before the latter went and screwed everything up.

Dead. Dead, and a constant presence. Dead, and a permanent reminder. Dead, and silent, and obedient, and always, always understanding.

Oh, he did have a fair share of living beings to talk to. All of these ‘bots, old and new, experienced and naive, ones that believed in him and ones that didn’t… All could be manipulated. They never trusted him – never; trust was a passing fancy. And yet, it was just a matter of time; a matter of finding the right way.

He couldn’t do that to the dead. He didn’t have to - they listened to him, always. They never snapped back, they never accused him of ulterior motives, they never ignored him, never failed him, never _left_. Talking to Metalhawk’s dead frame was always pleasant: he would never speak again, he would never be disappointed again, and that was just fine.

It would be just like this, this time, just like it. Oh, Bumblebee and Metalhawk were vastly different, but who even cared now.

He knew, deep inside, that there could be others like them - sometimes he could clearly see the possibilities, the cords, connecting him to the others. But those ones were way too valuable. They were better alive. Better away from him.

So he let his gaze slide easily over the living - they talked too much, they had so many opinions and objections, they never wanted to just accept it. Accept him as the rightful leader of Cybertron.

Bumblebee accepted him once, and he would never change his mind again. He wouldn’t be here to bring forth the accusations, the failings, but he would be here to listen.

He just wouldn’t talk.

Everyone who ever trusted him was dead and silent, which proved a simple point. A very simple point.

And it was fine like this, he declared to the emptiness. More than fine.

Emptiness gave him a smug smirk.

Starscream let his gaze slide over the bright yellow frame and pretended not to hear.


End file.
